Help fund health care public option with an increase in alcohol taxes.

Help fund health care public option with an increase in alcohol taxes.

By we are stardust on Mon, 07/06/2009 - 12:22pm |

I am having trouble finding accurate national alcohol sales numbers, but one site claimed that americans spend $77.8 billion on take-home alcohol. More, obviously, is consumed in restaurants and bars.

Tobacco has taken a huge federal tax increase, and some states have levied equal amounts in addition to boot. Why is alcohol not being considered? Or has it been, and gotten shouted down?

A percentage of total cost would make sense: a magnum of dom perignon would bring in more revenue than a bottle of coors lite. Jeez, louise, californians are advocating pot legalization often with the tax revenues possible as the main incentive.

Alcohol treatment costs are large. Drunk-driving accidents cause death and huge medical costs. Those are health-related...so why is alcohol such a sacred cow? I don't get it.